Customers of financial institutions are becoming more dependent on automated systems for obtaining cash, depositing/withdrawing money to/from accounts, and paying bills. For example, automated teller machines (ATMs) are almost ubiquitous to provide financial transactions for customers. An ATM may enable customers to withdraw cash from one's account, make balance inquiries, and transfer money from one account to another using a plastic, magnetic-strip card with a personal identification number issued by the financial institution.
While automated systems may be more convenient than traditionally staffed locations, automated systems can experience operational problems (often referred as outages) that can disrupt service to customers. Because customers do not have direct contact with a person, automated system outages should be identified and corrected in an expeditious manner to reduce an adverse impact on customers.